The Economic Policy Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy.
View EPI's 2003-2005 Annual Report.
View the latest EPI Journal, EPI News, and EPI Publications Catalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EPI's mission?
To inform people and empower them to seek solutions that will ensure broadly shared prosperity and opportunity.
What are EPI's Values?
- Helping Working People — Economic policy should focus on improving conditions for working people.
- Truth and Accuracy Matter — EPI research should be honest and rigorous.
- Dignified, Remunerative Work — People must be provided with the capacity and opportunity for dignified, remunerative work for personal as well as societal benefit.
- Strong, Effective Labor Movement — A strong, effective labor movement is essential for democracy and to ensure an equitable sharing of income and wealth.
- Government For the People — Government should set standards and rules for markets, and should ensure the efficient provision of public goods and investments.
When was EPI established, and why?
EPI was established in 1986 to broaden the discussion about economic policy to include the interests of low- and middle-income workers. Today, with global competition expanding, wage inequality rising, and the methods and nature of work changing in fundamental ways, it is as crucial as ever that people who work for a living have a voice in the economic debate.
Who founded EPI?
EPI was founded by a group of economic policy experts that includes Jeff Faux, EPI's first president; economist Barry Bluestone of Northeastern University; Robert Kuttner, columnist for Business Week and Newsweek and editor of The American Prospect; Ray Marshall, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas-Austin; Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of labor and professor at Brandeis University; and economist Lester Thurow of the MIT Sloan School of Management.
What makes EPI unique?
EPI was the first — and remains the premier — organization to focus on the economic condition of low- and middle-income Americans and their families. Furthermore, it adheres to strict standards of sound, objective research and analysis, and couples its findings with outreach and popular education.
What does EPI do?
EPI conducts original research on economic issues, makes policy recommendations based on its findings, and disseminates its work to the appropriate audiences.
Its research is focused on four main economic areas:
- Living standards/labor markets
- Government and the economy
Within these categories, its work spans the full range of economic issues, such as trends in wages, incomes, and prices; part-time and contingent "nonstandard" work; welfare reform; labor market problems; work organization; budget, tax, and fiscal policies; health care; education; the consumer price index; Medicare; Social Security; rural and urban policies; state-level economic development strategies; trade and global finance; comparative international economic performance; the health of manufacturing and other key sectors; competitiveness, jobs, and the environment; and urban sprawl, to name a few. Its research is varied, but a common thread runs through it: EPI examines issues through a "living standards" lens by analyzing the impact of policies and initiatives on the American public.
From its findings, EPI publishes books, studies, issue briefs, popular education materials, and various other publications; sponsors conferences and seminars; briefs policy makers at all levels of government; provides technical support to national, state, and local activists and community organizations; testifies before national, state, and local legislatures; and provides information and background to the print and electronic media. Over the course of a year, EPI is called upon hundreds of times to inform policy debates, citizens' group meetings, and educational forums. Moreover, EPI is typically cited more than 3,000 times a year in the print media alone, and its staff is seen or heard by approximately 85 million television and radio viewers and listeners.
How does EPI ensure the credibility of its research findings?
EPI has always demanded a high standard of quality in its research because of its desire to be a credible participant in public debates and a reliable source of information and analysis for policy makers, the press, community activists, academics, corporate leaders, labor union officials, and the general public. Its methods for ensuring that its research methodologies and outcomes are exemplary include the use of highly qualified researchers and multiple reviews by outside experts, including those who are known for disagreeing with EPI's values. In-house researchers maintain their standing in the academic community by publishing findings in prestigious peer-reviewed academic journals, like the American Economic Review and the New England Journal of Medicine.
How many people work at EPI?
EPI's staff includes 7 Ph.D.-level researchers, as well as administrative, communications, development, executive, and finance professionals. In addition to its in-house staff, EPI also works closely with a national network of prominent scholars.
Who supports EPI?
EPI is a 501(c)(3) corporation. A majority of its funding (about 60% in 2001) was received through grants from foundations. EPI also receives support from individuals, corporations, labor unions, and other organizations.
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